France, April 20 -- Health chiefs on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion on Sunday called for more doctors and medicines to help them combat an epidemic of the mosquito-borne chikungunya disease.

"We are really stretched to our limits," hospitals boss Lionel Calenge told the French broadcaster RMC.

"Epidemiologists predicted the epidemic peak would hit in mid-April, and here we are."

An epidemic was declared onReunion Islandon 13 January, following a surge in cases that began in August 2024.

Health officials linked the outbreak to rising mosquito numbers during the summer and low immunity levels in the island's population of around 900,000.

Since the start of the year, chikungunya has killed six people on the island. Around one...